Everything you need for baby’s arrival!

The pregnancy test just turned positive and you’re already thinking about everything you’ll need for the baby. Of course, you will want to buy many things, but remember that your family and friends will also want to give you gifts, whether at the baby shower or after the delivery.

A few tips

• Before spending a fortune on products and equipment of all sorts, ask your family and friends if they have things they could give or lend you, or offer to buy them for a good price.
• Don’t buy too many newborn clothes; your baby could already be too big at birth to fit into them. During the last few weeks of your pregnancy, the doctor will be able to give you the approximate size and weight of your baby and you will still have time to go shopping!
• Avoid clothes with lace collars, or  any collar for that matter.! Up to 6 months – and perhaps later- the baby barely has a neck and his chin rests directly on top of his chest so the collar will end up in his mouth. When the baby throws up or regurgitates, it’s the beautiful collar that will take it all up!
• Buy laundry detergent for sensitive skin such as Ivory or La Souris Verte. Wash all the baby’s clothes with this light soap until you are confident that the baby will not have an allergic reaction to regular detergent.
• Prefer natural textiles to artificial ones and choose the softest fabric you can find for your baby’s delicate skin.
• As for adults’ clothing, children’s sizes have nothing to do with their age. As a reference point, tell yourself that a 3-month-old baby usually wears a size 6 months, and at 6 months he usually wears a size 12 months. This is only a general rule because everything depends on your baby’s size and growth rate. Before buying all the clothes that will be needed next summer, wait to get an idea of your child’s growth spurt. Rompers inwinter and velvet pants in summer are not very convenient.
• During your baby’s first few months, favour pyjamas to pants or dresses. With frequent spills and diaper changes , you’ll discover soon enough how practical pyjamas can be. Furthermore, there is nothing cutter than a baby in his pyjamas.

Clothing

• 6 soft bibs. You will later use plastic bibs, but in the beginning, soft ones are ideal because they can be used to wipe the baby’s mouth if he drools or throws up a little.
• 6-8 toweling or cotton pyjamas. You can also go with velvet fabrics in winter. Choose snap buttons to facilitate diaper changes and avoid having buttons or zippers in the baby’s back… not very practival when you want to change baby ain the middle of the night!
• 2 or 3 sleep sacks that zip at the bottom. They’re especially great for night-time diaper changes. Baby can stay warm and mommy will be glad not to disturb him too much during feedings. Note that some babies don’t like being confined in a garment, so wait before buying a handful.
• 8 cotton camisoles with snap-buttons, very useful during diaper changes.
• Many little socks: the body’s extremities must be kept warm to prevent body heat losses.
• A cotton bonnet. In the first days of his life, the baby will wear a bonnet at all times.
• Baby bunting: It’s like an envelope with sleeves and a zipper in which you place the baby to keep him warm during cool days (not too cold).
• Snowsuit for newborns, kind of like baby bunting, but for colder days.

Goods

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• Crib: Beware of used cribs because security regulations have changed drastically in the past few years and they highly advise against using old cribs. The mattress must be firm and of the right size for the crib; the baby should not be able to fit between the mattress and crib bars! If possible, choose rounded edges to avoid injuries when the child gets older. It may be a good idea to buy a crib that turns into a kid’s bed. It’s a little more expensive at first but it will keep you from making another big purchase in two years.
• 5 fitted and 12 quilted sheets to place under the baby’ head. The quilted one will be useful for diaper changes during family outings. Warning: Never put a pillow in the crib because the baby could suffocate.
• A changing table:  Everything depends on the space you have in the room. To think of it, a washing machine can also act as a changing table! If there’s enough space though, choose a table with edges as high as your waist and with storage space to put diapers, creams, powders and baby wipes.
• Bathtub: plastic.
• Stroller: If you are the active type, it may be interesting to invest in an all-terrain stroller to bring along baby everywhere you go! Basic strollers (umbrella type) have wheels that jam quite often and are hard to steer.
• Slings or baby-carriers.
• Car seat for newborns. Some seats have a detachable baby carrier, others don’t. It is up to you to see what kind of usage you will make of it.
• Transat (a swinging seat) that allows the baby to sit in a semi-lying position.
• If you are thinking about breastfeeding, a breastfeeding pillow or even an ordinary pillow will be useful.
• If you are thinking about using the bottle, you will need a cleaning brush and a dozen little bottles, nipple replacements, etc.
• Monitors to hear the baby throughout the house and know when he wakes up.
• Diaper bag with a lot of storage space because you will realize soon enough that leaving the house feels like moving!

Baby care

• A few big and soft towels.
• 2-in-1 baby liquid soap (for hair and body) with a neutral pH.
• Hydrating cream.
• Bum cream.
• Baby hairbrush
• Newborn-sized diapers. Here again, don’t buy too many until you know the actual size of your baby. Newborn-sized diapers are really tiny!
• Baby wipes or little towels that will only be used for cleaning the baby.

Do you have questions or recommendations? Share your experiences by writing us!

By Sonia Cosentino